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Hawaii News

Stangel’s arraignment will be held Monday

The man charged in the shooting rampage that left one woman dead and two wounded last week is scheduled to be arraigned in Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Toby Stangel, 28, will enter a plea before Circuit Judge Richard Perkins on 20 counts that include charges of murder, attempted murder and drug violations involving cocaine, marijuana and a drug prescribed for panic and anxiety attacks.

An Oahu grand jury indicted him Wednesday on three counts of first-degree attempted murder of trying to kill more than one person and firing shots at two police officers. If convicted of first-degree attempted murder, Stangel would be sentenced to a mandatory life term without parole, the state’s harshest sentence. He is being held in lieu of $5 million bail.

Five years ago Stangel was a victim in an attempted-murder case when he was repeatedly stabbed in Waikiki. Stangel was stabbed with a pocketknife in May 2006 by Russell Griffiths, who was charged with second-degree attempted murder, according to the court file.

Griffiths later pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and received a maximum 10-year prison term in October 2009.

Dave Koga, spokesman for the city Prosecutor’s Office, said the stabbing occurred outside the Wave Waikiki nightclub.

Michael Green, Griffiths’ attorney, said Stangel started the altercation with "unprovoked" punches. Griffiths stabbed him about 10 or 11 times with the pocketknife, according to Green.

Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall sentenced Griffiths in 2009.

Crandall is the same judge who had approved the early release for Stangel from conditions similar to probation for a 2004 firearms case.

Crandall granted the early release in 2007 even though Stangel was convicted of drunken driving and misdemeanor criminal property damage while he was under the conditions that he comply with state and federal laws.

During the hearing there was no mention by the defense and prosecuting attorneys or Crandall about the two convictions, according to a transcript of the proceedings.

The stabbing that occurred the previous year also was not mentioned.

Offenders like Stangel who must abide by the probation-type conditions are monitored by probation officials. But there is no indication from the transcript that the probation officer reported the convictions.

Marsha Kitagawa, Judiciary spokeswoman, said they are reviewing whether the prior convictions were presented to the judge. She said they were still gathering facts and did not know when the review will be completed or whether the findings will be released.

Deputy Public Defender Earl Aquino, Stangel’s lawyer, said he has no comment at this time.

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Star-Advertiser reporter Gregg K. Kakesako contributed to this story.

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